Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Energy Supply: Prices

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a potential increase in energy prices in 2022.

Lord Callanan: The Government is monitoring the significant increases in wholesale energy prices closely, and meeting regularly with Ofgem, suppliers and consumer groups to understand the future impact on consumers as well as to discuss potential mitigations.

Tempus Court Developments: Annual Reports

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, if any, against the directors of Tempus Court Developments Limited concerning the accuracy of annual accounts filed at Companies House on 18 March 2021 and 9 November 2021 for the financial years ending 31 July 2020 and 31 July 2021.

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, if any, against the directors and partners of Mortar Tempus Court LLP concerning the accuracy of annual accounts filed at Companies House on 18 March 2021 and 9 November 2021 for the financial years ending 31 March 2020 and 31 March 2021.

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, if any, against the directors of Tempus Court Developments Limited concerning claiming dormant company exemptions in their filings at Companies House on 18 March 2021 and 9 November 2021 for the financial years ending 31 July 2020 and 31 July 2021.

Lord Callanan: Where a document (whether filed electronically or on paper) appears to be “properly delivered”, the registrar is obliged to register it. A document is properly delivered when it contains the information required by law; is completed in the proper form; has the correct fee attached (where appropriate) and is authenticated. The Registrar of Companies does not have the legal power to verify or validate information filed with her. If a complaint is received as to the content of the filing, Companies House may contact the entity to make enquiries. No complaint has been received in this case.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Screening

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they stopped funding workplace testing for COVID-19; and whether that decision will be kept under review.

Lord Kamall: Workplace testing ended in England at the end of July and employers were encouraged to direct their employees to order home tests from GOV.UK, collect from local pharmacies or order via the 119 service. The introduction of these citizen-direct testing channels meant that workplace testing was no longer required. Workplace testing will continue in some sectors where there is a particular need and the Department will continue to monitor any issues in other sectors. We have also announced that we will deliver tests to workplaces to allow 100,000 workers in priority, critical roles to test daily for the next five weeks. Roll out started from Monday 10th January. Tests will be separate from public sectors who already have a testing allocation with UK Health Security Agency, such as adult social care or education, and separate to those delivered to pharmacies and homes, so those channels will not be impacted by the new scheme.

Social Services

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the survey by the Association of Directors in Adult Social Services, published on 29 November, and (2) in particular, the findings that (a) almost 400,000 people are now waiting for an assessment of their needs, and (b) more than 1.5 million hours of commissioned home care could not be provided between August and September because of a lack of staff.

Lord Kamall: We have noted the results of this survey, which improves the evidence base for the demand for social care and current issues of concern to local authority leaders in the sector. Local authorities are responsible for assessing an individual’s eligibility for care and support and for meeting care needs in their local area. On 10 December 2021 we announced £300 million to support local authorities and care providers to recruit and retain staff through winter. This is in addition to the existing £162.5 million Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund. We have also launched a new phase of our national recruitment campaign which will run until March 2022.

Cancer: Magnetic Resonance Imagers

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scans are in use in each Cancer Alliance.

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the NHS has invested in multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scanners in the last three years.

Lord Kamall: The information requested on the number of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) capable scanners and the investment in such scanners in the last three years is not held centrally.However, NHS England and NHS Improvement’s national magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) specification includes the capability to perform mpMRI for prostate cancer. A total of 97 MRI machines were purchased through the £200 million equipment replacement programme to this specification from October 2019 to March 2021. NHS trusts are encouraged to adopt the national specification as a minimum requirement when purchasing new MRI equipment.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Middle East: Christianity

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reportDefeating Minority Exclusion and Unlocking Potential: Christianity in the Holy Land,published in October 2021.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of this report. The UK stands in solidarity with Christian communities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and condemns all attacks on the right to freedom of religious belief, freedom of religion, or belief. Israel is a thriving democracy, and has made clear its commitment to freedom of religion. The UK is committed to working with all parties across the Holy Land to ensure the safety and security of the holy sites and all who worship there, including Christians from all nations.

Jerusalem: Christianity

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 'Statementon the Current Threats to the Christian Presence in the Holy Land by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem', published on 13 December 2021; in particular, the recommendation that a special Christian cultural heritage zone be created in the Christian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. We are aware of this statement and are reviewing its recommendations. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly raise issues of FoRB with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority. The UK recognises that Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

Israel: Christianity

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the socio-economic (1) exclusion, and (2) marginalisation, experienced by Christians in Israel.

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the incidents of (1) harassments of priests, (2)intimidation of local Christians, and (3) attacks on churches, by radical fringe groups in Israel.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. Israel is a thriving democracy with a long-standing commitment to equality for all. We encourage the Israeli Government to do all it can to uphold the values of equality for all enshrined in its laws.

IRA: Libya

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reconsider their decision not to publish The Shawcross Report: Compensation for Victims, completed in May 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Mr Shawcross's report was commissioned as an internal scoping report, to provide internal advice to Ministers. Its content is based on private, confidential conversations and information shared on this basis.

Iran: Detainees

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are making representations to the government of Iran about (1) Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, held in Evin Prison and denied parole, and (2) members of house-churches and non-recognized churches held in prison in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities, and the persecution of Christians in Iran is of serious concern. We raise human rights issues with the Iranian government at all appropriate opportunities and we continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record. In November 2021, we co-sponsored the annual UN Third Committee resolution on human rights in Iran which called on the Government of Iran to release all religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a recognized or unrecognized minority religious or belief group.

Libya: IRA

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount of (1) money, (2) explosives, and (3) other weaponry, provided by the government of Libya to the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Qadhafi regime's support for the IRA was extensive. It is widely documented in the public domain. It involved money, weapons and training from the 1970s onwards. The UK continues to press the Libyan authorities - including at the highest levels of the Libyan Government - to address the Libyan State's historic responsibility for the Qadhafi regime's support for the IRA.

Developing Countries: Equality

Baroness Greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government whichMinister has responsibility for inclusive societies.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO Minister responsible for gender and equalities is Vicky Ford. I am the Minister responsible for open societies and human rights.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan concerning the protection of Armenian territory during the border delimitation process.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government is monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border following an increase in tensions last year. Through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders, in line with the Minsk Group Principles. The former Minister for Europe and Americas, Wendy Morton MP, met the Armenian and Azerbaijani Ambassadors to the UK in November to reinforce these messages.

Ministry of Defence

A400M Aircraft

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many A400M Atlas aircraft are currently operated by the Ministry of Defence.

Baroness Goldie: There are currently 20 Atlas C.1 (A400M) aircraft in RAF service.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Australia

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a "labour consultative or advisory body, or similar mechanism, for members of the public, including representatives of labour and business organisations, to provide views on" matters in the UK–Australia Trade Agreement, as provided for in Article 21.15 of that Agreement.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: We recognise the importance of the involvement and monitoring of labour-related issues by UK stakeholders on this agreement. That is why this deal establishes a committee for cooperation, and UK stakeholders will have the opportunity for consultation and active engagement. The provisions agreed allow for businesses and other labour organisations to support the effective implementation of the agreement. We are currently considering options for how this can be best achieved.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Health: Disinformation

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in order to guard against misleading health information being made available online.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The Government takes the issue of health misinformation and disinformation very seriously. That is why we stood up the Counter Disinformation Unit on 5 March 2020 to bring together cross-Government monitoring and analysis capabilities to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent, scope, and reach of misinformation and disinformation.The Counter Disinformation Unit works closely with social media platforms to help them identify and take action to remove incorrect claims, in line with the platforms’ terms and conditions, and to ensure the promotion of authoritative sources of information.The upcoming Online Safety Bill will have robust and proportionate measures to deal with misinformation and disinformation which could cause significant physical or psychological harm to an individual, such as falsehoods about COVID-19.We have also developed the SHARE checklist which aims to increase audience resilience by educating and empowering those who see, inadvertently share, and are affected by false and misleading information.